Sprinkler-head.



P. V. SACKETT.

SPRINKLEE HEAD.

APPLICATION FILED sBPT.12, 1912,

1,107,845. Pat-emga Aug. 18, 1914.

ImfenTovr: @1MM j ha 1% L/Y UNITED sTATEs PATENT ,oEEicE FRANK V.SACKETT, OF LA GRANGE, ILLINOIS.

sPnINKLER-HEAD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 18, 1914.

Application filed September 12;-1912, Serial No. 719,910.

T o all whom, it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK V. SAcKE'rr,

` a citizen of the United States, residing at l which theI following isa specification.

My invention relates to improvements in s rinkler heads for employmentin connectlon with the fluid pi ing of {ire-extinguishing automaticsprinkler systems.

The primar object of my invention is to provide a sprlnkler head whichmay be set to release upon the vrapid rise in temperature regardless ofthe ultimate temperature reached, but not responsive to slow variationsin temperature at least below a predetermined high-temperature.,

A further object of my invention is to provide such a sprinkler head inarrangement which may be made responsive also to the attainment of apredetermined temperature which m be regarded as danger temperature,whet er attained slowly or rapidly," i

In re-extinguisher sprinkler systems it is customar to4 have thereleasing element of the s rin lr head restrained by a fusible body wich is adapted tosoften at a predetermined temperature thereby torelease the head and permit the automatic distribution of water, but itsometimes happens that the efficacy of the sprinkler system is greatlydecreasedby reason of the requirement that a redetermined dangertemperature beA attalned before the release occurs. Thus in. open, airinstallations in cold weather a fire may be well under-way before theheat applied to the sprinkler head is sufficient to release them, as theinitial temperature from which the rise starts may be very low.

My invention aims to provide a sprinkler head wherein the sudden rise oftemperature, whether altogether within low limits or altogether Withinhigh limits, will `result in the release of the sprinkler head and theautomatic distribution of water, although slower temperaturechanges dueto weather conditions and the like will have no releasing influence uponthe structure.

In the drawings I have shown an embodiment of my invention, wherein-Figure 1 is a side view with parts in section of a. sprinkler head; Fig.2 Ais a section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is an isometric detailof two disk members form- .ing part of the device.

In the drawings, 5 indicates in general a frame, 6 a valve closing thewater orifice opening through the frame, 7 a strut structure, and 8 avalve-releasing structure arranged for operation through compensatingmechanism comprising, in the embodiment- Shown, twotemperature-responsive springs 9 and 10, located in the frame andconnected for coaction with the releasing structure.

Specifically, inthe construction shown, the release structure 8 takesthe form of complemental disks l2 and 13, the lower disk having in itsupper face radial slots 14 and the upper disk having on its lower facetooth projections 15 adapted to interfit therewith. Normally, the teethare arranged out of register' with their opposing slots so that rotarymotion of the upper disk 13 about an axis defined by pin 16 taking intoan aperture 16 of the lower disk 12 is necessary to brin the slots andteeth into register and ena le the two disks to be forced toward eachother or condensed.-

The compensating4 springs 5) and 10 are res ectively relatively heavyand relatively lig it, so that, while under Aslow variations intemperature they will expand and contract substantially equally, thelighter spring is very much more quickly responsive to changes intemperature than the heavy spring, whereby sudden changes in temeraturewill cause very unequal expansion etw'een the heavy and light springs,the light spring operating irst.-. The two disks are connected to therespective springs for rotation thereby in like direction under theinfiuence of expansion, the rotation being such that the side toward theobserver in Fig; L moves from left to right. Connections for Yrotationfrom the disk to the spring is effected by radius bars 17' and 18.-

` The releasing structure as a whole is made bodily rotatable. This maybe done in various ways but in the specic construction soy shown thestrut structure 7 bears against a rotatable sprayer 20, located at thetop of the frame, while the lower disk l2 has a center point connectionfor rotation with thel con'ipensating washer 2l which bears upon theglass valve 6.

New it will be seen that, regardless of details of construction, thegeneral operation of the device is to cause rotary motion of thereleasing device as a Whole, to take place Vduring allslow change oftemperature, the heavy and light springs expanding and contractingsubstantially equally and transmitting their motion substantiallyunifoijmly to the two disks which thereby rotateV in unison. Wherehowever a sudden variation in' temperature occurs,`whil both disksrotate in the same direction the rotation of the upper disk is much morerapid than that of the lower disk so that there is relative movementbetween the two disks, this being due to th'egreater rapidity of theexpansion and contraction of the lighter spring 10, to which the upperdisk is connected. The arrangementof the parts is such that no degree ofcontraction can'move the upper disk backward with respect to the lowerdisk to bring the slots and teeth into register, but if the temperaturechange is a rise in temperature the4 rapidly expanding l'i ht springwill move vthe..upper disk so muc faster than the lower disk is movedlby the heavy spring that the teeth of the upper disk :are brought intore ister with the subjacent slots of the lowerAV isk, and thereby thewater pressure, or other` pressure relied upon for release, mayefectually open the valve and drive the strut and release device out ofthe way. In order that this complete freeing of the spray may readilyoccur, I prefer that the springs shall be only frictionally socketed inthe` frame, as shown.

If desired the strut 7 may be made in the form of a releasing member,and in the specific construction shown, I have indicated said strut asformed of two elements 7Il and 7h normally held in' united relation by afusible link 7c, there being many`forms of fusible struts available ,wich'may begem. ployed in such environment.

While I have herein disclosed an embodiment of my invention w'hich Ibelieve tb be new and advantageous in detail, and some details of whichI ma. claimlfor their specic advantages, it wil beapparent" to thoseskilled in the art that in its broadl aspects my invention is notlimited to the specific construction shown but may be embodied in manyforms within the spirit of the invention and within the scope of theappended claims.

4What I claim is:

1. An automatic sprinkler head providing a valve, mechanical meansdifferently responsive to suddenvariations in temperature*l butsimilarly responsive to gradual variations, and means normallymaintaining said valve in closed position operable to release 'saidvalve by the differential action of said temperature responsive means.`

2. In a sprinkler head, a valve, means lnormally holding said valve inclosed position comprising a plurality of' parts relatively movable toeffect a release of the valve, and a plurality of parts differentlyresponsive to variations in temperature, said arts respectivelyconnected with the relatively movable release parts to move saidreleaseparts to releasing position through differential action ofthethermo-responsive parts.

3. In a sprinkler head, the combination of a frame, a valve and aplurality of parts between said frame and valve telescopically movable,when in one osition and normally standing in distendefl) position',said parts being relatively movable toward said position, anddifferentially acting thermo-responsive devices, connected to said partsto move them to telescoping" position under the influence of sudden risein temperature.

4. In a sprinkler head, the combination of valve in responsel to suddenrise in temperature. f

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a framehaving an opening, a valve for said opening, a rotatable structureinterposed between said frame and valve includin a pair of relativelyrotatable disks arrange to condense their joint axial length when in oneposition of relative rotation, and differently acting thermo-responsivesprings connected with said disks to rotate them in like direction butat vdifferent rates under rapid rise in temperature.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.v

' FRANK V. SACKETT.

MARY aALLEN, `WL1Ni-r ALLEN.

